I stepped from Plank to Plank
A slow and cautious way
The Stars about my Head I felt
About my feet the Sea.

I knew not but the next
Would be my final inch -
This gave me that precarious Gait
Some call Experience.

Emily Dickinson, c. 1864

Sunday, October 19, 2025

No Kings Day

Before the rally

Yesterday, before the No Kings Rally in Bellingham started, I got there early, having gone to the ecoffee shop with Steve and then we went to a short walk. We decided to go to the site of the upcoming rally and see how it looked before the throngs would arrive. Before Steve left to join a scheduled breakfast, we did see how the scene for the No Kings Rally.

Me and new friend Roseann

I found a spot on a bench and made myself comfortable, and in the process I met a new friend, Roseann, who shared the bench with me for awhile. It was spitting a little light rain, but nothing to worry about. I was well dressed with a jacket and my raincoat over it. 

By the time I was deciding to walk around and take pictures, as more and more people arrived, I saw that many of whom were dressed in costumes: a red Handmaid's Tale outfit, lots of inflatable whatsis, and even a few seven-foot-tall people on stilts. It was a lot of fun, and I kept getting overcome by emotion as I saw more and more people showing up. This is the best final picture I was able to get:

It was so much bigger than this

Once I arrived home, which was by bus, I was a little damp but not really soaked as I would have been had I gone home later. During the rally, our spirits rose and we all had a fun time together. I walked back to the bus station and turned on the TV to see what the rallies looked like in other parts of the country. It was an incredible turnout, all in all, and I'll be interested to see what the final numbers will be from across the country.

San Francisco 

I found this information from the Independent about how many were protesting in the streets of America:
Nearly 7 million people across the country turned out for the second “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump and his administration, marking the largest single-day demonstration against a sitting president in modern history, organizers said.

Looking at the weather through pictures, it looks like it was really nice across most of the country. We had some rain, but that is to be expected here in the Pacific Northwest. I am so glad to have had the chance to be a part of this historic event. Even though my eyes are getting worse, as long as I can still walk and function in the world, I will remain a happy old gal. And continue to write and read posts.

Time goes by, and since I know there is only one direction to travel with my eyesight, I sometimes get a little down over it all, but I can also be happy to be doing as well as I am. I saw several people whom I have hiked with in the past, and we were very happy to be out there together, adding our protests to the world. It is a very good life, and I live in one of the best places in the country, so it seems wrong to focus on what's wrong with the world and not on what's right. 

And here I sit, quiet surrounding me as my sweet partner still sleeps next to me, and I know that John will pick me up in his truck/chariot and transport me to Fairhaven for our usual Sunday breakfast. Yes, there is much to be grateful for, and I choose love and light instead of gloom. Why not? Isn't life to be cherished as long as we have it? I continue to be surrounded by good thoughts and good people, so I am content. I hope you have a wonderful week, dear friends. Until we meet again, be well.

8 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

Enjoy your breakfast and the week ahead.

Barbara Rogers said...

So good that you got a bit of the energetic positiveness of the No Kings rally. It certainly has bonded those millions of people in their efforts towards our democratic form of government vs. the current autocratic leanings.

ApacheDug said...

That's so awesome that you got to attend DJan, and the numbers were amazing. I don't really understand all the costumes, but I love the enthusiasm. Thanks for the great photos.

Far Side of Fifty said...

2% of the population of the United States chose to protest. Not a startling number...but they do have the right to peaceful protest. I would like to see a truly UNITED States again...but I am not sure the far left will allow that to happen. Here in the boonies of Minnesota there were no protests...a few Crows giving squirrels the what for. I hope you have a wonderful week. Did you give up on going to Canada for that procedure that might help your eyesight?

Rian said...

DJan, so glad you got to attend the No Kings Day. We did too and it was amazing at the numbers that turned out.. waiting to hear the possible totals... although from the pictures of the crowds throughout the country, it was awesome.

Anonymous said...

Happy Breakfast! Attending the protest, your photos are good memories.

Linda Reeder said...

We were there, at Big Catch Plaza, in the small suburban town of Des Moines, WA with our signs and our voices, having a great time. It was the biggest crowd we've had so far. There were funny signs and serious signs and silly costumes, and people dressed for rain that mostly held off. It may be only 2% of the population, but for those of us who participated, it was a wonderful time of comradery with like minded people, giving us the boost we need to carry on.
Thanks for the photos!

Sheila said...

Even in my red state several thousand people showed up at our capital to peacefully protest. What was the most heartening were the protests in small towns all over the state. People are fed up with the uncaring extreme right politicians in this corrupt administration. We want our country back.